Compete March 2015 by COMPETE Magazine

SPORTS. DIVERSITY.

FULL COURT BASKETBALL’S LEGACY

SOCAL PAR EXCELLENCE VEGAS GAMBLES ON GOLF SOFTBALL MANIA HITS PHOENIX MARCH 2015 • VOL. 9 NO. 3 • $5.95 WWW.COMPETENETWORK.COM

MARCH 2015 Volume 9, Issue 3

PUBLISHER Eric Carlyle • eric@competenetwork.com COMPETE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Connie Wardman • connie@competenetwork.com Community Editor Ty Nolan • ty@competenetwork.com Style Editor Alfonzo Chavez • alfonzo@competenetwork.com Travel Editor Brian Raymond • brian@competenetwork.com Art Director Jay Gelnett • jay@competenetwork.com Contributors Harry Andrew, Ian Colgate, Joseph Gaxiola, Jeff Hocker, Amy Jones, Jeff Kagan, Miriam Latto, Charles Naurath, Dr. Rob Elliott Owens and Brian Patrick Photo Editor Jacquelyn Phillips • jacquelyn@competenetwork.com Photographers Gregg Edelman, Thomas Fleisher Sales & Partnerships Tony Apodaca • tony@competenetwork.com Distributors Arizona Edition – Paul Sanchez Distributing Southern California Edition – Five Star Distributing Nevada Edition – Five Star Distributing Copyright © 2015 MEDIA OUT LOUD, LLC All Rights Reserved. Arizona/Nevada Edition 4703 South Lakeshore Drive, Suite 3 Tempe, Arizona 85282 • 480-222-4223 Southern California Edition 7080 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 1100 Los Angeles, California 90028 • 323-380-1068 Compete is a trademark of Media Out Loud, LLC MISSION STATEMENT Compete unites the world through sports. COMPETENETWORK.COM FACEBOOK.COM/COMPETEMAG @COMPETESPORTS

Photo Courtesy of Phoenix Mercury

16 EVOLUTION OF SPORTS DIVERSITY

IN BASKETBALL

Legacy of John Amaechi & Jason Collins WNBA’s Taurasi Sitting 2015 Out

26 WEDDING BELLS FOR KAREN & NELDA 36 SOFTBALL’S SAGUARO CUP & NAGAAA CUP COMING IN APRIL

KICK–OFF

11 12 13 14

FACE-OFF SPEED READ GRANDSTANDING THUMBS UP+DOWN

DEPARTMENTS

24 MVP

Valerie Worrell

30 SPORTS–ARIZONA

Hitting the Links in Phoenix

32 SPORTS–SOCAL

Teeing Up in Palm Springs

34 SPORTS–NEVADA

Swinging [Golf] Clubs in Vegas

38 TRAVEL

Miami—Feelin’ the Heat

40 NUTRITION

Balancing Winter Eating Habits

OVERTIME

42 GYM BAG 44 EVENTS 46 SPORTS YEARBOOK COMPETE ONLINE

Check out additional Compete Online stories at competenetwork.com

www.CompeteNetwork.com

COVER PHOTO by John Gress Photography

| COMPETE | 5

I fought my way back from addiction. Carl, D.A.P. client

D.A.P. treats and supports the whole person Like everyone, I’ve made lots of mistakes in my life. One of the biggest was letting alcohol and crystal meth consume me for a time. It led me into unsuccessful relationships, homelessness, and even ignoring my HIV medication therapy, causing me to lose one of my eyes. With the help of a counselor at Desert AIDS Project, I’m in recovery and am proud of my accomplishments at College of the Desert. I may have lost an eye...but I’ve never seen more clearly than I do today.

This and more...all under one roof

Thanks to your generous support, Desert AIDS Project has been saving lives for more than 30 years. Please continue to help by donating at desertAIDSproject.org, joining one of our annual giving programs, or by saving the date for one of our upcoming fundraising events. Dinner at My Place | March 22 - April 2, 2015 Dining Out for Life | April 30, 2015

760.323.2118

desertAIDSproject.org

FROM THE SKYBOX BY ERIC CARLYLE, CO-FOUNDER

Get active when you get away

Help Wanted

@CompeteEric

he year is off to a great start! We are so excited to watch Compete change and grow. Like we have always said, Compete is your magazine. In our Grandstanding section you will see a letter from Charla who asked why we haven’t awarded any females our prestigious Mark Bingham Athlete of the Year Award. The truth is we only received one female application last year. Although it was a very strong one according to the judges, in the end they felt they made the correct choices. This year we need your help. We would like to get more female athletes and fans inside the pages of Compete magazine. We have made this call to action before with mixed results. This time we are hoping that you, our readers, will respond by sending us more stories, photos and ideas featuring female athletes. Yes, we have featured great athletes like Fallon Fox, Brittney Griner, Sue Wieger and Molly Lenore (see this month’s Face-Off ). We have talked about important sports pioneers like Helen Carroll, Pat Griffin, Pat Summitt and many others. But in our mind there is much more to be done. If you know a special professional or amateur athlete who would like to share her story with Compete, please let us know. If you are a female professional or weekend warrior making a difference on or off the field, please let us tell your story. We really want to make a difference and featuring female athletes, sports pioneers and sports teams and leagues inside the pages of Compete is certainly on our minds.

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Sport On,

Eric Carlyle Chief Executive Officer eric@competenetwork.com

By the way, keep the story ideas featuring male athletes and teams coming, too!

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| COMPETE | 7

FROM THE CATBIRD SEAT BY CONNIE WARDMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Influence of Sports on Social Change

@CompeteConnie

s a society, we are influenced by our sports heroes. Just think of the number of jerseys, shoes, sports equipment and other items we purchase because our favorite athlete is a brand spokesperson. This issue takes a look at the evolution of sports diversity in the professional ranks of both the NBA and the WNBA. Basketball is now the second most popular of the major U.S. professional team sports and, if you read last month’s Face-Off by our community editor Ty Nolan, you know that it is the most popular sport of the millennials (ages 18-33) who, as a group are now outpacing senior citizens. Just think about the impact Jason Collins made in 2013 when he came out as an active player and was still signed to play another season as an openly gay man. Even when there’s a time lapse involved, barriers broken by our favorite professional sports heroes, teams and leagues have a real impact on social change. From hard wood to manicured golf course grass, we’ve taken a look at some of the best golf courses in the desert southwest. If you’re a radical golfer who lives in the region, you probably carry your clubs in your car “just in case.” But if you’re a golfer living in one of the areas hit hard by the snow, ice and bitter cold, don’t wait any longer – start the thawing process immediately by booking a warm weather getaway along with a tee time. This year we’re also featuring stories on sports-related love stories to honor the growing list of states now approving same-sex marriage. And in this issue we have a very happy update on the couple we showcased in our last year’s Valentine story. It took a 57 year “engagement” before the couple was finally able to marry but it shows that good things are worth the wait. Enjoy!

Keep Smiling,

Connie Wardman, Editor-in-Chief connie@competenetwork.com

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 9

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FACE-OFF

KICKOFF

THE QUESTION In your mind, which athlete best personifies sports diversity? Eric Carlyle

Ty Nolan

Co-Founder @CompeteEric

Community Editor @CompeteTy

MOLLY LENORE

MARTINA NAVRITALOVA

Who personifies sports diversity? The first name that came to my mind was Molly Lenore. You may not know that she was Compete’s 2012 Inspiring Athlete of the Year. She is a great athlete who has moved sports diversity forward by having the courage to live her life true to who she has always known she was. Lenore is transgendered—born with a male body, she transitioned to a female body a number of years ago. But even before her transition, sports were very important to her, football in particular. That has never changed. The National Gay Flag Football League (NGFFL) was in its second year when Lenore joined its ranks as part of the New York Warriors, an all-male team. Understandably she was a little nervous. Lenore has never hidden who she is or who she used to be. And she has always found acceptance and support from her team, saying “I changed my sex but the bonds I have with the men haven’t changed. I love sports. It’s a big part of my life.” A veteran of many Gay Bowls, Lenore was disqualified from playing with the men in 2008 by the Gay Games. With the support of “Outsports” co-founder Cyd Zeigler, ultimately she was able to play with the Warriors because the Gay Games decided to change the men’s division to an open division. But in 2012 she made the tough decision to begin playing in the small but growing women’s division to support its growth. Much more than a football player, Lenore is a leader in the LGBT sports movement. She served as commissioner of the New York Gay Flag Football League for ten years and is on Compete’s Advisory Board. Bottom line? She makes a difference. In her own words, “For me, being a transgendered person means never really fitting in anywhere. But LGBT sports and the resulting community that has been created lets me be who I am—an athlete, teammate, mentor and friend.” Sometimes the LGBT community itself overlooks the “T” part of the community. But Molly Lenore is not easily overlooked. From her true desire to be the person she was meant to be to her openness and honesty about her transition, she has become a powerful mentor to other gay athletes. To me, Lenore personifies the best in sports diversity.

More than fifty years have passed since Martin Luther King gave his classic speech sharing his dream that one day children would “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” When I was asked which athlete best personifies sports diversity, my immediate thought was Martina Navratilova. Then I had a politically correct brain freeze, thinking (and let me remind you I’m a person of color myself— American Indian) I should pick a person of color. I certainly have a wide range of ethnicities to choose from. But then I realized my own attitude wasn’t reflecting Dr. King’s dream. If we finally mature into a society that values “the content of their character” then it doesn’t matter what skin color Navratilova has. She has been described as “arguably, the greatest tennis player of all time” by tennis historian and journalist Bud Collins. Navratilova sought political asylum from her native Czechoslovakia, becoming an American citizen in 1981. And talking about diversity, she regained her Czech citizenship in 2008, giving her dual citizenship. She was one of the first professional athletes (or for that matter, celebrities) who formally came out in the summer of 1981. For over three decades she has been an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights, underprivileged children and animal rights. She’s also co-authored a number of novels and other books. One of the first lesbians to pay “palimony” to her expartner when they ended their relationship, in December of 2014 Navratilova married Julia Lemigova. She’s a survivor of breast cancer and has even appeared in the quirky comedy series, “Portlandia” as well as “Dancing With The Stars.” And she has also participated in a lawsuit against Amendment 2, the 1992 ballot proposition in Colorado designed to deny legal protection from discrimination for LGBT citizens and, with Jason Collins, she has represented the gay community at the United Nations. As one of the most public faces of the LGBT community, in 2000 the Human Rights Campaign presented her with its National Equality Award. Nearly a decade ago, AARP chose her to be its ambassador to promote health and fitness among senior citizens. In a world of constant social media overload, Navratilova is someone who has entered her golden years without a trail of scandals. I think Martina Navratilova is an ambassador for diversity.

www.CompeteNetwork.com

| COMPETE | 11

KICKOFF

LEFT FIELD

SPEED READ BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK MARCH 16–22 While Brain Awareness Week celebrates its 20th Anniversary March 16th through the 22nd, the problem of sports-related concussions continues to raise its ugly head. But it’s no longer due to a lack of education on the devastating long-term effects of brain injury. From youth to college to recreational to professional levels, there are still those who think that the goal of winning is worth the risk.

FREAK ACCIDENT FELLS SOFTBALL PLAYER There has never been a doubt about the generosity of the gay community when a member is in trouble. Thanks go out to friends, teammates, even strangers for donating to Mike Petracca’s Go Fund Me page created to raise money for his mounting medical expenses. The 28-year-old member of the Firestorm, part of San Diego’s gay softball league, was critically injured in a freak accident at the Sin City Shootout in January. While walking between fields, he was hit by an aluminum bat that flew almost 40 feet from a nearby field. Hitting him on the left temple, he collapsed to the ground and struck his head on the asphalt. Petracca was transported to a local emergency room for treatment of a skull fracture where emergency surgery was performed to reduce brain swelling. However, the damage was to the area

| COMPETE | March 2015

of the brain controlling speech and he awoke with partial facial paralysis and unable to speak coherently. As of this writing he is home and has family close by. According to the most recent update on his page, “His physical wounds are good, the right side of his body continues to get stronger and his facial paralysis appears to be improving.” While speech therapy is still intense, it seems that Mike is making progress and hopefully will be talking again soon although long-term impacts are still unknown. If you would like to donate, go to www.gofundme.com/mikepetracca.

CONGRATULATIONS TO REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN SIMS FOR RECEIVING NATIONAL LGBT AWARD Congratulations go to Pennsylvania state representative Brian Sims for being one of three recipients of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) 2015 Stonewall Award honoring LGBT advancements in the legal profession. He is the first openly gay person elected to the state’s general assembly. While the announcement was made in September, Sims received the award in Houston last month at the ABA’s Midyear Meeting. Holding a Bachelor of Science degree from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor degree in International & Comparative Law from Michigan State Univer-

sity College of Law, Sims is a former president of the board of directors of Equality Pennsylvania and a former chair of Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Pennsylvania. Sims has a long history of advancing LGBT awareness. During his undergraduate studies at Bloomsburg, the scholar-athlete was co-captain of the football team and came out as gay. As the only out NCAA football captain he was able to talk openly with students, coaches and school administrators on issues of homophobia in college sports long before it was the accepted thing to do. Of this latest honor Sims says, “… to receive the American Bar Association’s National Stonewall Award is one of the most humbling and proudest moments I’ve had as a professional. My whole life I wanted to be a civil rights attorney and being recognized by the ABA as an advocate and champion of justice is something I will cherish forever!”

GRANDSTANDING LETTERS TO COMPETE MAGAZINE FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR? [February 2015] Maybe Compete should change the name of the award to Male Athlete of the Year. I was disappointed to see that your AOTY’s have all been male. Why not give the award to a female?

Charla Rasi Los Angeles (via email) Editor’s Reply: Charla, out of all the AOTY applications received for the 2014 award only one nomination was female. The female athlete’s application scored very well but the judge’s ultimately selected R. Tony Smith as our winner and Micah Porter as our first runner-up. We are hopeful that we will receive more female nominations in the future and are considering awarding both a Male and Female Athlete of the Year Award. TALK TO US! Submissions to Compete should include the writer’s name, address and contact phone number and should be sent by email to letters@competenetwork.com. Letters may be edited by Compete and become the property of Media Out Loud, LLC.

COMPETE READER SURVEY Favorite WNBA Player of All Time Other 14% Diana Taurasi 15% Tamika Katchings 17%

Brittney Griner 32%

Sheryl Swoopes 22%

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KICKOFF

SPORTS

… for receiving a baseball scholarship to pitch at Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC). The 5-foot 10 leftie, daughter of NL All-Star John Hudek, throws about 82 mph. She’s the first female to play baseball at BPCC and one of the first at the collegiate level. Named USA Baseball Sportswoman of the Year in 2014, she’s been playing on boys’ teams since her Little League days.

BILLY BEAN & MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL … on MLB Network Presents premiering “The Story of Billy Bean,” a one-hour documentary hosted by Bob Costas last month. From a closeted pro who retired from the game he loved to finally be free to come out, it takes him full circle to MLB’s new ambassador of inclusion as an out and proud gay man now back to help others in a similar situation.

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A: Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Source: www.triviaplaying.com

SARAH HUDEK

QUIZ

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

Which two NBA players won the MVP trophy three times each from 1986 through 1992?

U.S. PRESIDENT BARAK OBAMA … for mentioning Robbie Rogers’ courage to come out, saying “Robbie, you’ve also inspired a whole lot of folks here and around the world, and we are very proud of you.”

THE UFC (ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP) ... for allowing a match to be held between UFC 183 headliners Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz even though both men tested positive for drugs. Diaz tested positive for marijuana and Silva tested positive for two anabolic steroids.

SERENA WILLIAMS … for winning her 19th Grand Slam title during her sixth Australian Open. The 33-year-old tennis star beat Russian Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-6 (5).

BASKETBALL’S SPORTS DIVERSITY

EVOLUTION BY CONNIE WARDMAN

According to various studies, basketball is the second most popular with Americans of the big four men’s professional team sports, running slightly behind the National Football League (NFL). It goes without saying that there are gay basketball players at every level of the sport. Some are open about their sexual orientation while others stay closeted to varying degrees for a variety of reasons.

THE NBA

hile less overtly macho than the NFL, some think that the National Basketball Association (NBA) hasn’t done much for its LGBT and women athletes and coaches and their combined fan bases. I’m not sure that’s as true as those people believe it to be. The NFL is in freefall this year, scrambling to get its actions on equality and diversity issues to match its mission statements. Change in the NFL is being fueled by increasing pressure from outside sources to get its collective act together. Like the story of the hare and tortoise, the NBA has carried on a slow but steady march toward inclusion and diversity, turning the league into a global enterprise that does business in more than 200 countries. It has been planned and executed over the years thanks to the vision and quiet efficiency of David Stern’s leadership during his 30-year tenure as commissioner of the NBA. There have been several major events within the league over the years that haven’t necessarily been viewed by the public as parts of a larger picture of organizational change within the league. As the one-year anniversary of new commissioner Adam Silver’s take over from Stern is celebrated, the swift action he took against Donald Sterling, former owner of the Clippers shows his pro-active management style. Having joined the NBA in 1992 as Stern’s special assistant and then becoming deputy commissioner eight years ago, Silver is well steeped in the Stern method of operation but it may be a little early to know if he will follow directly in Stern’s footsteps or start to impose his particular view of how the NBA should be run.

JOHN AMAECHI COMES OUT AFTER RETIRING

he first NBA player to come out as gay was John Amaechi. Growing up in England where he now lives and works, he was born in the U.S. and then returned to the states to play high school basketball. After a year at Vanderbilt he transferred to Penn State where he became an academic All-American and was graduated with a degree in psychology. He has since gone on to receive a doctorate in the same field. And therein lies a clue to the real John Amaechi. Never one to be easily pigeonholed, perhaps the most accurate and succinct thing you can say about him is that he’s an intellectual, a natural educator and professional speaker and motivator who lives in his head but still expects real world results. Amaechi never played basketball until he was 17 and within weeks of touching a ball he set his sights on playing in the NBA. A mere six years later the 6-foot 10, 280-pound power forward became a starter in the NBA and had a fiveyear career in the league. He even reportedly turned down a $17-million contract offer from the LA Lakers in 2000 to stay with the Orlando Magic for $600,000 a year. He has shared his story on an NBA.com “Breaking Barriers” video. Calling himself “a bit of a rare case,” Amaechi says he doesn’t love basketball. What sticks with him is the pleasure of making a plan that everyone said was impossible and then achieving it. He says “I was never a basketball player; I was a psychologist who played basketball.” The first time a rival player looked at him, Amaechi says he was

able to see his own potential in his rival’s eyes. This, he says is how we can use sports to help others recognize and develop their own potential in a similar manner. After retiring from the game in 2007, Amaechi announced he was gay. What still perplexes him is that in spite of all the work he did to reach the NBA in just six years, what people really remember about him is that he’s gay, something that required no work on his part. But his legacy of courage extended to Jason Collins who sought Amaechi’s advice before his coming out in 2013 while still an active player. Recalling his personal experience shortly after his coming out, Amaechi said “Ask yourself what has changed, or even any efforts that were made by the NBA brass to bring their league into the 21st century. I have the greatest respect for [then-NBA commissioner] David Stern,” he continued. “However, when I came out all the words that were said were the correct words … but the opportunity to educate people was missed.”

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| COMPETE | 17

EVOLU JASON COLLINS COMES OUT WHILE AN ACTIVE PLAYER

n Collins’ coming out, Amaechi says he was filled with great pride on the reception Collins received and the fact that his jersey was the best selling one in the NBA. And when making a comparison between the two events, Amaechi says that outside of officials from the league, his experience felt a bit colder than Collins’,” admitting that there was just a tinge of sadness that his announcement was too early. Was his announcement in 2007 too early? That is Amaechi’s personal truth—it is how he feels and he deserves the right to share it. But looking at the Photo courtesy of 2013 Compete Sports larger picture I’m Diversity Awards reminded how genchi’s coming out in 2007 got erational our beliefs tend to him pulled from the NBA’s Allbe, how societal norms change Star Weekend that was takgradually with the arrival and ing place at the time. Even departure of different age though it’s only been eight groups. Timing is everything. years since Hardaway’s comSometimes a new generation ments, by 2007 changes had is required before an imporalready slowly and rather quitant change has enough fertile etly been taking place in the ground to allow seeds planted NBA thanks to Stern’s forward by others in the past to grow vision for the league and the and thrive. capable staff he’d been gatherTim Hardaway’s homoing around him. phobic response to Amae-

| COMPETE | March 2015

WOMEN REFEREES ADDED

n 1995 the NBA wanted to add women to its developmental program but realized not everyone would agree with this decision so they started rather quietly without much fanfare. And by 1997 the NBA had two full-time female referees—Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner. Palmer, the first to officiate an NBA game was a Division II college point guard for Cal-Poly Pomona in 1985-86. And by the time she got the call from the NBA office, Palmer had already officiated at five NCAA women’s Final Fours as a top-ranked women’s college official. Palmer shares that working in the NBA was such a radical idea that when she got the first call from them she thought it was a friend playing a joke on her. Kantner left after five seasons, eventually becoming supervisor of officials for the WNBA. With 62 full-time referee positions in the NBA, there are still only two women—Palmer and rookie Lauren Holtkamp. After 18 seasons, players and coaches may argue a call by Palmer but no one doubts her integrity and knowledge of the game. She says “I think I’ve become such a permanent fixture that the whole women’s deal doesn’t matter anymore.” A lesbian of color who came out to her colleagues in 2007 (the same year Amaechi came out), this past July Palmer married her partner of 20 years, celebrity stylist Tanya Stine with no apparent backlash. As only the third full-time female referee in the four U.S. major men’s team sports, Holtkamp will be building her own reputation on the court with incidents like the recent technical foul call she made on Clippers Chris Paul. Calling it a terrible play, he said “This might not be for her.” Whether or not Paul’s remarks were intended to be sexist can be endlessly debated but the NBA fined him $25,000 for criticizing Holtkamp, the standard fine for criticizing a referee. However, the NBA Referees Association reviewed her calls and tweeted the following: “After review, the calls made by Ms. Holtkamp are fully justified. We deplore the unprofessional comments made by Chris Paul. #shebelongs”

UTION keting ability, Welts was the creative genius behind the concept of the NBA All-Star Weekend with its Slam Dunk contest and a game for the retired Legends of the NBRPA, the association of retired players from the NBA, ABA and the Harlem Globetrotters. He also created the marketing campaigns for the Photo courtesy of Golden State Warriors original Dream Team that played RICK WELTS HIRED in the 1992 BarAFTER COMING OUT celona Olympics, the launch of the Women’s nother huge shift National Basketball Associain sports divertion (WNBA) and the league’s sity came from international expansion, eventhe league in 2011 tually winding up third in comwhen Rick Welts, then presmand at the NBA. ident and COO of the PhoeNow the president and nix Suns decided he finally chief of operations for the needed to come out. His story Golden State Warriors, the was so important that it ran on most remarkable part of Welts’ the front page of the New York public coming out was the fact Times. He became the first that he was courageous enough highest ranking and perhaps to share his reason for leaving best-known executive in U.S. Phoenix—it was to be with his men’s professional team sports partner. In one of the first pubto come out publically at a time lic signs that societal attitudes when a lack of job protection toward homophobia in sports legislation in Arizona and 27 were changing, just a few other states in the U.S. meant weeks after his announcement that he and other members he was hired by the Warriors. of the lesbian, gay, bisexual Welts’ willingness to be true to and transgender community himself helped move equality could be fired for their sexual in professional sports forward orientation. in a way not seen before. Long recognized and honored for his remarkable mar-

NIKE STEPS UP

rior to making his public coming out announcement, Welts had first shared the information with then-commissioner Stern, some of the players and also with several senior executives at Nike. In an interview with Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.com, Welts revealed that Nike had asked him to deliver a message to any gay professional sports figure in a major U.S. team sport thinking about coming out that the company would want to endorse him or her. In a sign of just how far the sports profession has come to achieving equality, Welts said that “They made it clear to me Nike would embrace it. The player who does it, they’re going to be amazed at the additional opportunities that are put on the table, not the ones that are taken off.” He also shared with me that to his surprise, all the reaction to his coming out was positive. Clearly, Nike (whose advertising includes “#BETRUE” in gay-associated rainbow colors) and many other major companies are starting to invest big marketing dollars in sports equality. While Jason Collins wasn’t a high profile NBA player until his announcement, nevertheless his strength and courage by and large have been publically acknowledged in a positive light in the media and well accepted by players and fans. And his impact on those in the LGBT community has been powerful. Collins has been interviewed by Oprah, he and his straight twin Jarron (now on the Warriors coaching staff ) have been working with LGBT youth through clinics such as the You Belong Initiative and he and tennis star Martina Navratilova have spoken at the United Nations (UN) about the fight to eliminate homophobia in sport. During that UN press conference Collins said homophobia was not tolerated in the NBA, that commissioner Stern had made certain language and action punishable by a minimum fine of $50,000

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| COMPETE | 19

EVOLU COLLINS REHIRED AS OPENLY GAY ATHLETE

obbie Rogers and many other gay athletes who have come out since Collins’ coming out have said they were positively influenced by him. After coming out as gay, like Welts, Collins was hired again, picked up by the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of their 201314 season. When Collins decided to retire from his 13-year NBA career at the end of the season, he did so as an active player who also happened to be a gay man.

KENNETH FARIED OPEN ABOUT TWO MOTHERS

nd in one of two equally important but less publicized recent happenings, Kenneth Faried, power forward for the Denver Nuggets and a pro ambassador for Athlete Ally has said, “I have two moms and I love them both very much. I respect, honor and support them in every way. The bond I have with them has made me realize that I want all members of the LGBT community – whether they are parents, players, coaches or fans – to feel welcome in the NBA and in all of our communities.”

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BECKY HAMMON HIRED BY SPURS AS FULL-TIME ASSISTANT COACH

THE WNBA

he second important step forward is the announcement made by the San Antonio Spurs this past August that they hired Becky Hammon as a full-time assistant coach. Gregg Popovich, head coach of the Spurs said Hammon’s hiring was based on her filling the criteria he always looks for in assistant coaches. “Having observed her working with our team this past season, I’m confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs,” he said. Hammon’s retirement from the San Antonio Stars at the end of the 2013-14 season capped a successful 16-year playing career in the WNBA. The seven-time WNBA All-Star said “To be perfectly honest, it’s never been about the woman thing. It’s been about, ‘Hey, she’s got a great basketball mind, and we’d love to have her and think she’d be a great addition to our program.’” Hammond and Popovich’s comments really reflect the ultimate goal of sports diversity – if you’re an athlete who loves sports, is willing to work hard, communicate well and be a team player, you should be allowed to play the sport(s) you love!

FACES PROBLEMS OF MONEY AND SEXISM

Photo courtesy of San Antonio Spurs

he Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) owes its existence to the vision of former NBA commissioner David Stern, both to his ability to sell the concept to the NBA owners and to his trust in the marketing genius of Rick Welts, then working at the NBA headquarters in New York. Stern definitely had a social agenda that drove all his decisions but he was always a pragmatist who understood the value of timing. Thinking the WNBA would capture the same level of fan excitement and support as the NBA had, Stern chose to launch the WNBA’s first season on June 21, 1997 following on the heels of a highly-publicized Olympic gold medal run by the 1996 USA Basketball Women’s National Team at the Summer Games in Atlanta. But the WNBA has suffered since its inception from the ageold assumption by society in general that women’s sports are never as good, as exciting or as important as men’s sports. And while Stern’s slow but steady movement toward sports equality worked well for the NBA over the years, it never appeared to have the same push toward future evolvement for the WNBA. Not to worry, though—it’s taking the spotlight this year.

UTION a wonderful turn of events for her, her boss in the financial industry approved her playing since it coincided with the financial slow season. The truth is that Woodard couldn’t NBA PLAYER’S 2013–2014 SALARIES

Kobe Bryant made $30,453,805 Dirk Nowitzki made $22,721,381 Amar’e Stoudemire made $21,679,893

Adler made an interesting comparison of some top NBA players’ salaries to what that amount would pay for in the WNBA. Here are the top three comparisons: WHAT IT WOULD PAY FOR IN THE WNBA

Three times amount of entire WNBA average salaries of 423 WNBA players. Twice amount of entire WNBA average salaries of 315 WNBA players. Twice as much as entire WNBA

L–R Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Penny Taylor Photo courtesy of the Phoenix Mercury

Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard, a game-changing player from her high school playing days throughout her professional career, recalled that the Olympic win led to the realization by many that women really could play the game. It impressed the Harlem Globetrotters enough that they held auditions for women players. Although some were skeptical in the beginning, she says that watching the women at tryouts was an eye-opener for many of them. And the Globetrotters certainly recognized her talent. Woodard made the history books in 1985 as the first woman to play on the famous team. After two years with the Globetrotters, she went to play in women’s professional basketball leagues overseas. Even though she was in her late 30s and working as a stockbroker in New York City when the WNBA was launched, in 1997 she was signed by the Cleveland Rockers. And in the 1998 WNBA expansion draft she was picked by the Detroit Shock. In

give up her day job to do what she loved best—to play basketball. And lack of equitable salaries is the ugly truth for all WNBA players. While it has given female athletes an equal opportunity to play the game they love in a U.S. league for women, the opportunity isn’t equal when it comes to the money. To earn the highest salary during their limited window of career play, many women play year-round, going to Europe, Russia or China during the WNBA off-season. While the league is still considered young and growing, over its 18-year history it has never reached the popularity and income of the NBA, meaning that the women’s salaries fall extremely far below the men’s. A May 19, 2014 article in BuzzFeed by reporter Lindsey Adler revealed that the average salary of a WNBA player is estimated to be around $72,000 which makes the average total league-wide wages to be $10,368,000 (unlike the NBA, the WNBA prohibits disclosing any contract/earnings information).

Because they get no off-season rest like the NBA players, the wear and tear of year-round play results in injuries that can cause women players to sit out a season to heal. Unfortunately, if they have to miss a season it’s better for them financially to miss the WNBA season since the international leagues generally pay more that the WNBA. Knowing that they each have a limited window of time to play professionally, in the end, it’s really a business decision for each player. But this may the year the WNBA will have to face its financial dilemma. Diana Taurasi, star guard for the Phoenix Mercury and arguably the best women’s basketball player in the world, announced that she is sitting out the WNBA 2015 season. The reason? The Russian team she plays for, UMMC Ekaterinburg, has offered to pay her more than her WNBA salary to sit out the season. She makes approximately $1.5 million for the Russian season in comparison to the WNBA league maximum of $107,000.

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EVOLU In a recent interview with Kate Fagan of “espnW,” Taurasi said “It was the perfect mix of timing and making sure I was in control of my career. Since 2004, when I started professional basketball, it has been a cycle—a cycle that I have enjoyed so much. With my team in Russia, a conversation began about making sure I’m at an elite level for a long time with them. I put everything on the table and weighed all my options and made the best decision.” This kind of financial offer from overseas teams to protect their elite players by paying them to sit out the WNBA season isn’t new. There was concern in 2010 that Taurasi would sit out the 2011 season to rest while earning more money. In spite of the low pay and Spartan travel conditions, the fact that so many players have opted to stay in the WNBA can be seen as a real testament to their desire for the league to succeed. But now at age 33 Taurasi says “I’m really lucky to even have these options. It speaks volumes on how UMMC values our relationship, and vice versa. For 10 years, I have never had any significant time off.” Not all WNBA players will get this financial offer, however—it’s only made to elite players like Taurasi. And if those players choose to follow her example, it could mean a real downturn in the WNBA’s fortunes. The solution, says Fagan is for the WNBA to change its salary structure, calling for the league to “Stop paying mediocre players the same amount as Diana Taurasi (or Sue Bird or Candace Parker or Seimone Augustus).” According to Fagan, “This past WNBA season, 36 players made approximately the same amount as Taurasi, who will likely finish her career as the league’s all-time lead-

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ing scorer. Another six players made just under $100,000. This means each team had three to four players making ‘max money.’” She continues to say that most coaches in the league make double the salaries of their star players. While money appears to be the big issue for the WNBA, the root cause lies in the still subtle and pernicious sexist view held by many that women athletes aren’t as good as their male counterparts. And it’s all wrapped up in the ridiculous belief by many that great male athletes can never be gay but great female athletes must always be lesbians. It’s homophobia in sports, folks—still alive and doing all too well.

Brittney Griner Photo courtesy of the Phoenix Mercury Are there openly lesbian players in the WNBA? Yes, it’s not a big secret—take a look at Taurasi’s Mercury teammate Brittney Griner, for one. Over and over again the majority of straight athletes asked say they don’t care about their teammates’ sexuality—they care about their ability to help the team win games. And

various surveys over the years have shown that the WNBA has a large following within the gay community. But whether through ignorance, oversight or downright fear of antagonizing straight fans and advertisers, it shouldn’t have taken the WNBA 18 years to finally acknowledge its gay fan base this past spring and come up with a marketing campaign targeting them. Taurasi has said she plans on returning to the Mercury for the 2016 season and WNBA league president Laurel Richie has voiced her support for Taurasi’s decision. But Michele Roberts, the feisty new executive director of the National Basketball Players Association recently added the title of interim executive director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association. Roberts has said that “Our players’ commitment to the WNBA has exceeded all expectations particularly in light of the grueling schedules they endure.” Roberts continued to say that “… it is unfortunate that in the most recent round of bargaining the WNBA owners insisted on the imposition of significant penalties on players who may have to miss some portion of the WNBA season in order to fulfill overseas commitments. Our hope is that these penalties do not have the unfortunate, unintended consequence of discouraging some players from playing for the WNBA.” Woodard once said “You never know which snowflake will start the avalanche.” I think Taurasi’s decision coupled with Roberts’ arrival as interim executive director for the player’s organization is the avalanche-starter for the WNBA. One thing is for sure—the league is in for big changes this year if it wants to stay relevant.

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TEAM COMPETE MV P VALERIE WORRELL

Photos by courtesy of Valerie Worrell To be included in our MVP section, e-mail: MVP@competenetwork.com

From L–R Marissa, Nelda, Karen and Sharla. Photo by Randy Bingham of Randy’s Vision Photography

Wedding Bells for Karen & Nelda by Miriam Latto

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area to attend their wedding … really, ho would everyone! ever think that “When asked what our wedtwo Texas girls ding day would be like,” said Karen, who met in col“one of the things we both agreed lege in 1957— on without a doubt was having our one the star softball player and the community there. We have been other the team scorekeeper—would overwhelmed by the love and supfinally be able to marry after being port from all of those that cared together for 57 years? They certainly about us, the case and the fight for didn’t. marriage equality. We can’t thank But 2014 turned out to be a very you all enough and sincerely would important year for the couple. In be so honored to have you be a part the 2014 February issue of Compete of our wedding day.” we ran their love story, and the next With that settled, a number of month they became the lead defenPhoenix-area wedding vendors were dants in a federal lawsuit filed by lined up to turn Karen and Nelda’s Lambda Legal in the U.S. District imagined wedding into a reality, Court for Arizona to challenge Arizosome of them even donating serna’s discriminatory marriage ban. The women never hid that they were a couple over the years, even to their families—they just didn’t talk about it. The catalyst for Karen and Nelda to go public and join in the marriage equality movement was really prompted by their girls. Retired and in their 50s, Karen’s great grand niece Sharla, now 22, came to live with them at age four. Six years From L–R Nelda Majors, Rev. David Felten, Karen Bailey later they were given custody Photo by Randy Bingham of Randy’s Vision Photography of Sharla’s half-sister Marissa. vices for such an historic event. And Now 16, Marissa was only three when so it was that Karen and Nelda’s wedshe came to live with them. ding took place on stage at the magKaren was the only one with nificent historic Orpheum Theatre in legal rights to raise them. If anything downtown Phoenix with their pashad happened to her, Nelda would tor, the Reverend David Felten of The have no legal rights even though Fountains United Methodist Church she had helped to raise both girls. officiating. “It is so harmful to our girls.” Nelda The girls were part of the wedding said, “Being able to marry in Arizona party for their moms. Marissa gave would legally solidify our rights as a the Bible reading and Sharla read the family.” beautiful and heartfelt letter she had When marriage became legal sent to the judge the year before, the in Arizona on October 17th, Karen one making the decision on whether and Nelda were among the first to or not same-sex marriage would be get their marriage license. And on legal in Arizona. It was a very special November 23, 2014 the happy coumoment! ple invited everyone in the Phoenix

The ceremony was tender and deeply emotional but it also had a lighthearted touch. Rev. Felten had the attendees participate in the service by affirming their love and support for the couple. He also read a David Letterman-inspired Top 10 List of things that Karen and Nelda have learned about each other over the years. And when he arrived at the point where he normally tells a couple he’s marrying what to expect when building a life together, he said he was skipping that part since they’ve already had 50-plus years to figure it out. Following the ceremony there was a cake and punch reception for all the attendees, and later in the day a private reception was held at The Farm at South Mountain, a local farm converted into a charming event venue. With lots of smiles, laughter and happy tears, it was declared a grand day by all who were there. “Magic” was the word most often used by people to describe the day. The owner of The Farm asked for permission to plant a tree in Karen and Nelda’s honor where everyone could see it, a request that simply blew them away. And in a wonderful sign of love and support, the Methodist bishop for this area (Rev. Felten’s “boss”) not only attended both the day’s events, he and his wife danced at the reception in celebration of these two very special women and their very special wedding. The times are finally starting to change. As was noted in last year’s article on Karen and Nelda, “They are no longer on a softball team. Instead, they’re on a new team today that supports equality for all … team human race.” Please join all of us at Compete in wishing Karen and Nelda a lifetime of continued love and happiness!

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SPORTS ARIZONA

HITTING THE LINKS IN THE PHOENIX AREA BY BRIAN PATRICK PHOENIX IS A DESTINATION LOCATION, especially during its mild winter, spring and fall seasons. Whether you want to escape the bitter cold and snow of the rest of the country or you’re just ready for some time away just for you, you can’t go wrong golfing in Arizona’s sprawling Valley of the Sun. With impressive golf courses and the special amenities that come with them, you could spend weeks trying out the many courses in the Phoenix metropolitan area and never repeat a course. Many of the best courses have been designed by famed golfers and course designers—it all depends on what you’re looking for. For a list of the many awards these courses have received, check out each website for specifics.

are one with the ancient saguaros in the foreground and the magnificent mountains in the distance. Designed by Scott Miller, the 7,225 yard layout of the Cholla course was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the 10 best new public courses in the world shortly after its debut, quickly becoming recognized as the reference course for quintessential desert golf. Since then, Zagat Survey 2007-2008 gives Cholla its highest rating among all Arizona courses and Golfweek ranks the layout #4 on its 2013 list of the state’s best public courses. The Saguaro course was designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to be a more traditional style golf course where greens are close to tees, ideal for walking, and the course follows the natural movement of the land.

TPC SCOTTSDALE STADIUM COURSE

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tpc.com/scottsdale-stadium-course-renovation If you’re a golf aficionado, you’ve undoubtedly watched television coverage or even attended in person the Waste Management Phoenix Open. “The Greatest Show on Grass” has turned into the largest spectator golf event in the world. The 2015 Open was played on the TPC Scottsdale’s newly-renovated Stadium Course. Originally designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf, the 2014 renovation was led by Weiskopf. The project included the relocation of four greens, resurfacing of all greens, reshaping and regrassing of all tee complexes, relocation and reshaping of all bunker complexes, replacement of cart paths, and re-landscaping of desert areas. The result is a golf course that’s more aesthetically pleasing to resort guests and strategically more challenging to PGA TOUR players.

WE-KO-PA CHOLLA & SAGUARO COURSES wekopa.com/golf/saguaro-course/ Just 20-plus miles from downtown Phoenix, the We-Ko-Pa Golf Club and its two courses, the Cholla and the Saguaro sit on beautiful natural Sonoran Desert, land belonging to the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. There are no homes, condos or townhomes lining the fairways—you

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troonnorthgolf.com The Troon North Golf Club’s two 18-hole Tom Weiskopf-designed courses, the Monument and the Pinnacle are truly revered as Scottsdale’s crown jewel for the challenge of playing around giant granite boulders strewn across the rugged Sonoran Desert landscape. And the visual sensation of immaculately groomed fairways juxtaposed against piles of rocks and boulders in the shadow of the iconic Pinnacle Peak places these two courses consistently at the top of every golfer’s must-play list. Another visual delight comes from Troon North Golf Club’s certification as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program.

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SPORTS SOCAL

TEEING UP IN PALM SPRINGS BY BRIAN PATRICK IF GOLF IS YOUR GAME, HEAD FOR PALM SPRINGS. There are 110 world-class golf courses, many of them challenging courses designed by well known professional golfers and golf course designers. If you want to improve your game, you’ll also find great schools and clinics, many of them staffed by professionals, as well as rentals, equipment sales and repairs. Based on rating by Golf.com, the greater Palm Springs area is home to five of the top 30 courses in California, many of them multi-course facilities. Because of the competition between these courses, golfers are the winners with lower playing fees and more amenities.

WESTIN MISSION HILLS westinmissionhillsgolf.com One of the choice golf locations has to be the Westin Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, boasting a course designed by famed course designer Pete Dye and another designed by golf great Gary Player. Listed as one of Golf Digest’s® Top 75 Golf Resorts in North America, The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa is truly a golfers dream featuring the two championship Troon-managed golf courses that are available to guests.

LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB AND PGA WEST laquintaresort.com Another golf magnet is the historic Hollywood hideaway (since 1926), the La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA West located in La Quinta. Here you have your choice of five courses: ✷✷ Their famed Mountain Course’s challenging layout that’s ranked among Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses You Can Play” ✷✷ The Pete Dye-designed Dunes course that offers a traditional Scottish design ✷✷ Their second Pete Dye-designed course, the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West which is also ranked among Golf Magazine’s “Top 100 Courses

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You Can Play” and is considered a “must play” for those golfers looking for a challenge ✷✷ The Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West ✷✷ And last but certainly not least is the Greg Norman Course at PGA West.

ESCENA GOLF CLUB escenagolf.com If you decide on a public course, the Escena Golf Club features a public 18-hole championship golf course by Nicklaus Design that’s been named as one of the Top Ten Public Courses in California by PGATOUR.COM. It’s built on 172 acres that have heavily landscaped native areas and multiple water features - perfect to provide a challenge for golfers of all levels. Whether you choose one of the many high-end resort courses or one of the highly rated public golf courses, you’ll definitely have great views of the towering San Jacinto Mountains that surround the Coachella Valley, beautiful desert landscaping and dramatic waterscapes. This is just a starting point for your perfect golf getaway. The good news? You can’t make a bad choice.

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SPORTS NEVADA

SWINGING [GOLF] CLUBS IN VEGAS BY BRIAN PATRICK LAS VEGAS IS WHERE PEOPLE COME FOR A GOOD TIME—to gamble, to luxuriate in fabulous resort and spa settings and to see incredible shows. But don’t forget to bring your clubs if you’re a golfer. There aren’t as many golf courses as in Arizona and California but there are some wonderful designer golf courses located in and around the Vegas area. Whether you’re looking to play a course that is right in the heart of the glitz and glamour of the Strip or whether you prefer to play in a beautiful desert landscape outside the city limits, you won’t be disappointed. There are a variety of golf courses and resorts with an amazing choice of amenities, and with 300-plus days of sunshine a year you won’t be disappointed in the weather.

ARROYO PUBLIC GOLF COURSE thearroyogolfclub.com Designed by Arnold Palmer, the Arroyo Course is located at Red Rock Country Club, part of the master planned Las Vegas community of Summerlin. The course takes golfers through rugged desert and mountain terrain with subtle shifts in elevation that make for rollicking challenges and panoramic views of the Las Vegas cityscape. The daily-fee-only clubhouse features a full-service golf shop, men’s and women’s locker rooms and a bar and grill with an expansive patio that features excellent views of Red Rock Canyon and the city below.

THE WOLF COURSE AT PAIUTE GOLF RESORT lvpaiutegolf.com Owned by the Las Vegas Paiute Indian Tribe, the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort boasts three award-winning champion-

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ship golf courses, all designed by Pete Dye. The Wolf course opened in 2001 and is the toughest and longest of the three, given 4.5 stars by Golf Digest each year since its opening and also part of Golf Magazine’s top 15 courses in Nevada in the “Best Public Golf Courses” listing. Touted as the longest course in Nevada, it is located 22 miles northwest of Las Vegas in beautiful natural surroundings The resort also has two complete “all grass” practice facilities, including full swing, chipping, pitching and putting areas.

BALI HAI RESORT COURSE balihaigolfclub.com Recognized by Golfweek as one of the “Top 40 Resort Courses in America,” Bali Hai was designed in 2000 by Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley and is the only championship course located right on the Strip. The 18-hole course features seven acres of water hazards, a total of 4,000 trees, including 2,500 stands of towering palms and 100,000 tropical plants. Transition and out-of-play areas are accented with Augusta white sand and black volcanic rock outcroppings. Additional amenities include the club’s pro shop that’s been recognized as one of the “100 Best Golf Shops” in America by GolfWorld Business for 12 years in a row and the award-winning Cili Restaurant and Bar. Cili, which is Balinese for prosperity, good health and great fortune, is a gourmet restaurant that features South Pacific décor and American dishes with Thai and Asian influences. Located on Las Vegas Boulevard, the year-round patio seating overlooks the blue lagoon, palms and exotic foliage of the golf course.

Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament March 12-15, 2015 prit.net

APRIL MEANS GAY SOFTBALL IN PHOENIX BY HARRY ANDREW WHEN APRIL ARRIVES IN PHOENIX THIS YEAR so will a slew of softball players from around the U.S. and Canada, all here for the double dip of the Saguaro Cup Sports Festival and the NAGAAA (North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance) Cup Invitational Tournament being held April 17–19. Phoenix is home to a number of first class softball complexes located throughout the metropolitan area, making it an ideal location to hold two such large tournaments. Teams this year will be playing at five of them—Desert West Sports Complex, Papago Softball Complex and Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix and Eldorado Sports Complex and Yavapai Sports Complex in Scottsdale. Host hotels for the tournaments are the Hilton Phoenix Suites and the Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Midtown. The Phoenix-based Cactus Cities Softball League (CCSL) is playing host to both tournaments this year. Friday the 17th marks the registration party and coaches meeting with Saturday as the day of play while Sunday is the closing party and awards ceremony. The NAGAAA Cup is an invitational tournament for A and B division teams from NAGAAA-affiliated cities. The Saguaro Cup is a CCSL event held annually in Phoenix. Begun in 1994 to foster local, regional, national and international sports competition predominately for the LGBT community, the Saguaro Cup is open to anyone who is dedicated to an amateur athletic experience for people of all skill levels and abilities regardless of sexual orientation, gender, race, creed, religion or national origin. Over the years the Saguaro Cup tournament has grown into the premier gay softball tournament in the southwest, a model of sports diversity for those who love the game. It consistently ranks as one of the country’s largest gay softball tournaments and it’s sanctioned by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA). Open to teams from cities both with and without NAGAAA-affiliation, the Saguaro Cup provides an opportunity for any softball player who wants to play to be part of the fun weekend in Arizona’s Valley of the Sun. All skill levels are welcome and if you’re a player without a team, you can use their contact form to get picked up by one of

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the teams. They ask that you include permission to have your contact information posted online for expedited connections to coaches looking for players. Once Sunday afternoon rolls around, it’s time for everyone from both tournaments to party at Charlie’s Phoenix location. Food starts at 4:00 p.m., trophy presentations are at 7:00 p.m. with a drag show at 8:00 p.m. For additional or updated information on these events, go to: www.saguarocup.com

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There are so many things to see and do in Miami, with one of the top just lying on the beach, relaxing to rhythmic sounds of the waves rolling in while people watching. But starting in late May 2017, things will heat up as Miami hosts the next World OutGames with an expected crowd of 40,000 participants and spectators from around the world. While the 30 sports with 455 events will keep you busy, you know you’ll want to explore Brian Raymond the riches Miami has to offer. One of the first stops has to be South Beach— quintessential Miami although it is not part of the city of Miami. Walk along Ocean Drive and view the sherbet-colored iconic art deco buildings restored into trendy hotels, bistros and the hottest clubs and roof top bars. Start at the iconic News Café and just walk to the former Versace mansion. South Beach has the largest number of art deco buildings in the world but it was a major battle to protect them from developers’ wrecking balls. If you’re looking to shop, visit the open-air mall on Lincoln Road. If you want to experience a slice of Europe with reasonably priced cafes, bars and boutiques, walk down Espanola Way. Miami doesn’t have to be expensive as it offers lots of free activities, including the farmer’s market, outdoor movie screenings, concerts and a variety of festivals, all served with amazing balmy weather. Getting around downtown Miami and the top tourist spots for shopping and dining is easy with the free Metromover. History and architect buffs should visit the Vizcaya Museum, the former winter estate of James Deering which sits on 28 acres featuring a 34-room Italian Renaissance-style villa built in 1916. Filled with furnishings from the 15-19 centuries, this is one of Miami’s top treasures. Of course no visit to Miami would be complete without a visit to Little Havana, rich with the history, art and cuisine of its Cuban immigrants. Stroll through the streets, look at the beautiful murals and of course, try authentic Cuban food. Versailles on Calle Ocho is one of Little Havana’s best known and top-rated restaurants. Most of the gay nightlife can be found in South Beach and downtown Miami, including the Palace Bar & Grill on Ocean Drive in the heart of the art deco district. It is across the street from the gay beach. Another experience is the multi-level themed “Twist” complex just a few blocks away. With sun, ocean breezes, beaches and an international mix of cultures, Miami offers something for everyone. To visit Miami or for help in planning your own or group travel, you can contact Brian Raymond at brian@OutDestinations.com or 866-217-2341.

| COMPETE | March 2015

NUTRITION

BALANCING WINTER EATING HABITS WITH HEALTHY BREAKFASTS BY MIRIAM LATTO SO YOU JOINED A GYM in January ready to drop those extra holiday pounds only to realize you really don’t want to do intensive exercise. But staying home and eating heavy winter comfort foods has only made worse the fact that you’re just adding to your December holiday indulgences. Is there anything you can do to reverse the process without turning into a gym rat? Yes, there is. Eating a healthy breakfast is the one thing you can do to make sure you’re getting a healthy start to the day, no matter what you else you eat throughout the day. In fact, research has shown that a high protein breakfast staves off unhealthy snacking later in the day. But you don’t have to be a juicer or follow one of the new fad diets to take advantage of this good start. Here are eight “normal” breakfast foods that will give you a good start to your day.

BANANAS From childhood on, who doesn’t love a banana, the great “grab-andgo” food. According to registered dietician Julie Upton, MS, RD, CSSD, a medium banana is rich in fiber and vitamin C as well as potassium which is often a missing piece in many folks’ diets. And for those worried about extra sodium, it has 422 milligrams of potassium and no sodium which helps control blood pressure.

BERRIES Berries are great. Pick your berry of choice and you’ll be getting lots of antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber without lots of calories. Upton says there is research suggesting that they

| COMPETE | March 2015

carry anti-cancer properties and for those concerned with the neurological decline associated with aging, berries help fight that.

are diluted with additional sugars. She says to choose low-fat plain and sweeten it with fresh fruit … like the berries mentioned above.

COFFEE

OATMEAL

Coffee (in moderate amounts without the cream and sugar, unfortunately) is loaded with antioxidants according to Upton. She says coffee also appears to have heart benefits and, like berries, may help with cognitive decline. Additionally, coffee may also offer protection from type 2 diabetes and fend off some cancers, including the most common cancer, basal cell carcinoma.

Oatmeal—from steel cut, old fashioned to the instant variety—will, according to Upton, keep you feeling filled up longer because it’s got lots of dietary fiber. Again, skip the flavored kinds that add additional sugar, however. Mitchell recommends topping it with almond or peanut butter with banana or nuts with berries to reach a rounded blend of protein, carbs and fat.

EGGS

TEA

Registered dietician, Susan Mitchell, Ph.D., RD, has said that “a minimum of eight to 10 grams of protein and preferable 20-25 not only provides satiety but helps maintain muscle mass over time.” She says that eggs contain 13 essential nutrients, including protein.

Tea contains antioxidants called flavonoids that offer powerful immune-boosting and antiinflammatory properties. As long as you don’t load your tea with sugar, green, black and white teas appear to protect against some cancers, heart problems and diabetes. Tea also contains l-theanine, which according to Upton is a compound that “activates areas of our brain that make us feel awake and more able to focus.”

GREEK YOGURT Greek yogurt is another terrific source of protein as well as calcium. However, Upton cautions to stay away from the flavored varieties that

Source: Huff Post Healthy Living

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For those sports where swing performance is critical—baseball, softball, golf and tennis—the SwingTracker by Diamond Kinetics is a fully integrated tool for coaches to evaluate their players’ swings and other performance metrics. Built around revolutionary discoveries in motion analytics, the SwingTracker system unlocks training data that was never available before: speed, power, quickness and control. And it can be used as a single sensor to train multiple players and connect with player profiles remotely. Shown as an easy three-step process of collecting the data, analyzing it and then improving the swing, the SwingTracker sensor sends swing analytics to the SwingTracker app via Bluetooth and the app computes, presents and evaluates the swing metrics. Once a session is completed the swing data then syncs seamlessly with the corresponding player profile. $149.99

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OVERTIME

EVENTS GAY SPORTS EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY

26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, better known as GLAAD is holding its 26th annual media awards on the west coast on Saturday, March 21. Held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, the event begins at 5:30 p.m.

BOWLING Second City Open Tournament Chicago Chicago Mar. 7 Phoenix Regional Invitational Tournament Phoenix Mar. 12 Vancouver’s English Bay Cup Vancouver Mar. 13 St. Patrick’s Invitational Tournament Memphis Mar. 20 Silicon Valley Invitational Tournament San Jose Mar. 20 Winter Express Trio Tournament Ann Arbor Mar. 21

SOFTBALL Lone Star Classic Houston Mar. 14

TENNIS Heart of Texas Open 2015 Austin Mar. 6

VOLLEYBALL Hotlanta Classic 22 Atlanta Mar 14 Cincinnati Volleyball Classic Cincinnati Mar. 14 Queen Vickie 2015 Vancouver Mar. 21

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After 25 years of awards, the annual GLAAD event isn’t new but the criteria for nomination may not be as familiar. There are four criteria used for award selection.

• Fair, Accurate and Inclusive Representations Avoiding broad stereotypical representations of the LGBT community by representing all members of the community in a fair, accurate and multi-dimensional manner. •

Boldness and Originality

A project that breaks new ground through exploring LGBT subject matter in nontraditional ways, presenting the LGBT content in a fresh and original manner. •

Impact

A project must have a significant cultural impact that dramatically increases the cultural dialogue about LGBT issues or reaches an audience that’s not regularly exposed to LGBT issues and images. •

Overall Quality

A project with extremely high quality that adds significance to the images and issues portrayed, one that draws more viewers or readers to the material. To see the nominees for this year’s west coast awards, go to www.glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees

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OVERTIME

SPORTS YEARBOOK THIS MONTH IN SPORTS HISTORY: MARCH

Lenny Wilkens, winningest coach in NBA, coaches his 1,000th victory - 1996

Start of 1,000 mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Anchorage - 2013

1st recorded hockey game in Montreal - 1875

George Foreman loses WBA boxing title, refusing to fight Tony Tucker - 1995

8 Martina Navratilova 1st tennis player to earn $10 million - 1986

13 Elaine Zayak, lands 6 triple jumps to win world skating championship - 1982

25 Tiger Woods wins Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament; 1st PGA Tour victory since 2009 - 2012

68 year old Gordie Howe signs AHL contract with Syracuse Crunch - 1997

NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals officially move to Phoenix - 1988

Mike Tyson KOs Frank Bruno in 2nd round - 1996

Michael Jordan rejoins Chicago Bulls after 17-month retirement fm NBA - 1995

Baseball announces Reds manager Pete Rose is under investigation - 1989

UCLA wins their 7th straight NCAA basketball title - 1973

Source: www.brainyhistory.com

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5 PBA National Championship won by David Traber - 1994

Julie Krone becomes winningest female jockey (1205 victories) - 1988

Opening ceremony of Winter Paralympics held in Sochi - 2014

Eddie Sutton 1st NCAA coach to lead 4 schools into playoffs - 1991

Reginald Weit 1st black to play in the U.S. Tennis Open - 1948

12 Los Angeles Raiders announce they’re returning to Oakland - 1990

17 USA Women’s Hockey Team beats Canada for 1st Olympic Gold medal - 1998

NHL votes to accept 4 WHA teams (Oilers, Jets, Nordiques and Whalers) - 1979

Evil Knievel breaks 93 bones after successfully clearing 35 cars - 1972

Wrestlemania VII in LA, Hulk Hogan pins Sergeant Slaughter - 1991

3rd baseman Miguel Cabrera signs 10-year contract with Detroit Tigers for $292 mil - 2014

Cleveland Browns choose new name, Baltimore Ravens - 1996

26th Nabisco Dinah Shore Golf Championship won by Betsy King - 1997

Coach John Wooden’s final game, UCLA, wins 10th NCAA championship in 12 yrs - 1975

Arthur Ashe named to International Tennis Hall of Fame - 1985

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